Relgion Boldly Goes Where It Isn't Wanted
A very dear man I know died this week of cancer. He made it long enough to see his son get married, the new year and spring. He was a loving, generous man with an infectious smile and a wonderful attitude. He was also non-religious, and when his wife died a few years back he made it quite clear that he didn't want, "any of that religious shit" when he died.
So there will be no church service, but that won't stop the religiously minded from imposing their ceremonies on the memorial gathering that is happening tonight. The gathering goes from 4 - 8 PM, but there's a "Celebration of Life" that starts at 7.
This "Celebration of Life" will, no doubt, be a very thinly veiled Christian religious ceremony. They will invoke the name of Jesus, they will invoke the name of God, they will talk about Heaven... in direct opposition to the dead man's wishes. I have a huge problem with that.
If people want to pray to God or Jesus or who/whatever they should do so silently by themselves. This "Celebration of Life" is just another example of Christians forcing their will and belief system on everyone in the room. I won't be there, I will walk out because I don't want to be subjected to that, but I shouldn't have to. They're the ones who should have to go elsewhere if they want to all get together and pray. I stress again: it's not what the deceased wanted, so they shouldn't get to do it.
So let me be very, very clear: When I die I, too, don't want "any of that religious shit." No praying, no Christianity disguised as a "Celebration of Life." If the Christians want to pray over my ashes, let them do it silently by themselves or, if they need to be in a group and need to do it aloud, in a completely different venue. Those are my wishes and they trump the Bible.
So there will be no church service, but that won't stop the religiously minded from imposing their ceremonies on the memorial gathering that is happening tonight. The gathering goes from 4 - 8 PM, but there's a "Celebration of Life" that starts at 7.
This "Celebration of Life" will, no doubt, be a very thinly veiled Christian religious ceremony. They will invoke the name of Jesus, they will invoke the name of God, they will talk about Heaven... in direct opposition to the dead man's wishes. I have a huge problem with that.
If people want to pray to God or Jesus or who/whatever they should do so silently by themselves. This "Celebration of Life" is just another example of Christians forcing their will and belief system on everyone in the room. I won't be there, I will walk out because I don't want to be subjected to that, but I shouldn't have to. They're the ones who should have to go elsewhere if they want to all get together and pray. I stress again: it's not what the deceased wanted, so they shouldn't get to do it.
So let me be very, very clear: When I die I, too, don't want "any of that religious shit." No praying, no Christianity disguised as a "Celebration of Life." If the Christians want to pray over my ashes, let them do it silently by themselves or, if they need to be in a group and need to do it aloud, in a completely different venue. Those are my wishes and they trump the Bible.
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I have left written notice in my file at church that if ANYONE refers to God as a "he" during my memorial service - I will haunt them. (I certainly don't expect to see divine genitals once I cross over - and how else does one determine "he?")
I not only have made my wishes known - I have also threatened! Sometimes threats work.